1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to a method and a device for power supply to an electric motor vehicle from an electric power line. A particularly useful application relates to the field of electric motor vehicles for which the power supply is provided by an electric power line or catenary, such as for example electric trains and other urban and interurban means of transport. A particularly advantageous application relates to electric trains travelling at very high speed. However, the invention has wider scope since it can be applied to any high power supply system.
2. Description of the Related Art
For an electric train, current collection is conventionally associated with an articulated mechanical device called a pantograph which is responsible for establishing and maintaining electrical contact in order to supply power to the train's motor and all of its auxiliaries. The quality of the contact is highly dependent on the mechanical attributes of the pantograph and the electric and mechanical attributes of the catenary employed. It is in all cases subject to frictional forces. The quality of the contact becomes problematic when the train is travelling at high speed, as in high-speed trains. In fact, it is recognised that one of the problems affecting high-speed trains is maintaining good electrical contact between the catenary line and the pantograph of the train. For example, trials aiming to beat speed records require special adjustment of the tension of the conductor wire forming the power line.